James Allred (1784-1876)
}} Biography For more info see Linda Allred Steele’s book James and Elizabeth Allred and other Allred Biographers. James Allred born in 1784 married Elizabeth Warren born in 1786. Both were around 92 years old when they died. James was born in Randolph Co., North Carolina, and the family moved to Pendleton Co., South Carolina, when James was three years old and then on to Georgia in about 1789. Early Life in Georgia On January 12, 1784, James Allred was born to Elizabeth Thrasher and William Allred in Randolph County, North Carolina, and the family moved to Pendleton Co., South Carolina, when James was three years old and then on to Georgia in about 1789. The Allreds were farmers and James’ father had received a land grant of 400 acres near Grove Creek in Franklin Co., Georgia. James met and married Elizabeth Warren (from Spartanburg Co S.C.) on November 14, 1803 in Franklin Co. George. Elizabeth was 17 and James was 19. James’ father moved to Bedford Co., Tennessee. James and Elizabeth stayed in Franklin Co., Georgia near which their first son William Hackley Allred was born on April 14, 1804. During their early married life they made homes in North Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Missouri. James and Elizabeth followed James’ parents to Farmington, Bedford Co. Tennessee, where they completed their family of 12 children , 8 boys and 4 girls. Families migrated together, either convincing extended family members to join with them in the move or follow them later. The Allred family relocated many times and the Ivie family also migrated with them and often intermarried. Salt River Settlement In 1830 James and Elizabeth Allred, all their children, at least three of James’ siblings (Sarah, Isaac Allred (1788-1870), and John) and their families moved 500 miles northwest from Bedford Co., Tennessee, to settle near the Salt River in Ralls County, Missouri. They called their community the “Allred Settlement”. It was located 15 miles east of present day Paris, Missouri and only a few miles southeast of Florida, Missouri. Hyrum Smith (1800-1844) and John Murdock (1760-1858) were called on a mission for a new church called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and arrived at the Allred Settlement in Monroe co., Missouri on August 4, 1831. They stayed one week and taught the gospel to the Allreds, but they were not baptized until a year later and were probably baptized by George M. Hinkle. The settlement here would be called the Salt River Branch. James and Elizabeth Allred and most of their family, including uncles, aunts, and cousins were baptized on 10 Sep 1832. James Allred was forty-eight years old at the time of his baptism. Most of his prime years had passed and yet James would dedicate the next forty-four years of his life to building up his new found religion and accomplish the greatest acts of his life. Zions Camp Participant One of the most interesting episodes in the early history of LDS Church was the march of Zion's Camp (1834). The members of the Church in Missouri were being persecuted, and the Prophet Joseph made it a matter of prayer and received a revelation on February 24, 1834. The Lord instructed the Prophet to assemble at least one hundred young and middle-aged men and to go to the land of Zion, or Missouri. (See D&C 130:19–34.) Zion’s Camp, a group of approximately one hundred and fifty men, gathered at Kirtland, Ohio, in the spring of 1834 and marched to Jackson County, Missouri. By the time they reached Missouri, the camp had increased to approximately two hundred men. In the spring of 1834 in Kirtland, Ohio, the Prophet Joseph Smith organized a group of two hundred volunteers to march to the aid of members of the Church that remained in Missouri; this organization became known as Zions Camp. On June 8, 1834, this band arrived in Salt River at James Allred’s home on the Salt River, where Joseph’s camp was joined by a group established by his brother Hyrum. Combined, they involved two hundred and five men, who were on their journey to the upper part of Missouri in order to re-establish the Saints in Jackson County. James Allred and nine of his relatives were called by the Prophet to be members of Zion’s Camp. Allred Relatives that joined Zions Camp on June 8, 1834: # James Allred (1784-1876) - homeowner at Salt River. # Isaac Allred (1813-1859) - son of James # Martin C Allred (1806-1840) - son of James # Andrew Hiram Whitlock (1805-1865) - married to James daughter, # Robert McCord (1811-1834) - living at Salt River, he died of Cholera on Zions Camp March. His sister later married the widower of James daughter, Sarah Allred (1811-1834). Missouri Persecutions In September 1835, James and Elizabeth took their eleven children and followed the Mormon Saints to Clay County, Missouri where they were well received. In the spring of 1837, having been appointed by the Prophet Joseph Smith, James and Elizabeth and their family left their new home and moved to Caldwell County, Missouri where a group of Saints were gathered. In 1837 he was elected a Judge in Caldwell County. The other citizens of Missouri fearing the political, physical, and religious power of such a large group were very alarmed. Those who were not members of the Latter-day Saint Church felt the Latter-day Saint people in a few years might conceivably dominate the state. This fear brought about many persecutions. The Latter-day Saints remembering previous persecutions and in an effort to protect themselves, formed a County militia of which James Allred was a member; this militia was required to fight for the lives of the Latter-day Saints many times. James Allred must have been a very courageous man to have been a part of the militia. In 1838 large mobs began to move towards Caldwell County and forced the Mormons to exit the state. 1840 Kidnapping In the spring of 1839, the Latter-day Saints left Missouri and moved to Illinois. James Allred and his family settled in Pittsfield, Pike County, Illinois. Later in the fall of 1839, James and his family moved to Commerce, better known as Nauvoo, Illinois. Here a large number of the Saints worked diligently to build a beautiful city. In Nauvoo James became a close associate of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the apostles, or highest leaders of the Church. On Wednesday, July 7, 1840, James Allred and Noah Rogers were forcibly taken from Hancock County, Illinois and arrested while peaceably pursuing their own lawful business. Missourians kidnaped and carried James and Noah from Hancock County into Missouri without having established a claim for such procedures. This mob was led by William Allensworth, H.M. Woodyard, Wm. Martin, J.H. Owsely, John Bain, Light T Lait, and Halsay White. They were taken to Tully, Missouri confined in a house and later taken into a near by woods. James was stripped of every particle of clothing and was bound to a tree and threatened with bodily harm for the better part of the night. The men then told James that they would whip him. The men took Rogers beyond the place where James was bound. They had a rope around Rogers neck. James heard a great number of blows, which he then supposed, and afterwards learned were inflected upon Rogers. Allred heard him call out several times in agony. After they whipped Rogers, they unbound James without whipping him. Then Rogers and Allred were taken back and placed in the house. Rogers and Allred was then held there until July 12, 1840, where they were found innocent of any wrong doing and released. Tully, Missour, July 12, 1840. The people of Tully, having taken up Mr. Allred, with some others, and having examined into the offenses committed, find nothing to justify his detention any longer, and have released him. By order of the committee. H.M. Woodyard In the ensuing months, a special inquest into this incident was held in Quincy, IL and included Gov. Carlin and his wife to determine the evidence and perpetrators of this crime, but no one was ever arrested or tried in court. Sources: * The Rise and Fall of Nauvoo (publ 1888 - B.H. Roberts - pg 62-65. Nauvoo Era During the year following James’ tragic experience with the Missourians, there was a meeting held on February 4, in the office of Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith was elected Lieutenant-general. After being duly sworn into office, he appointed James Allred and eleven other men to be his body-guards, and assistant aids-de-camp. Joseph Smith (1805-1844) chose James Allred to be his personal body-guard because James had proven by his previous dedication and worthiness that he had a very strong testimony of the work of the Church. He had been willing to lay down his life for the Church as he had shown several times in the past; therefore, Joseph had a great deal of respect for and trust in James Allred. As a young teenager, John’s parents took in and began raising the eight orphaned children of his older brother, Martin Carrell Allred. During these tumultuous years John’s father and mother played substantial supporting roles in the church. Elizabeth was one of the first members of the Relief Society. James, in addition to his religious responsibilities, was active in civic affairs. He was a member of the Mormon Legion, additionally serving as a bodyguard to the Prophet. Two histories of James Allred (Munson and Osborne) note that when Joseph Smith was put in the Carthage jail, he gave his sword to James and said, “Take this, you may need it to defend yourself.” Five days after the murders of Joseph and Hyrum, on July 2, 1844, James helped bring John Taylor back from Carthage. On April 8, 1841, Joseph Smith appointed James Allred to the office of High Councilor. which is a very important calling in the leadership of the Church. James was also ordained a High Priest. the highest calling in the Priesthood which is the same Priesthood held by Peter, James, and John and other apostles and prophets in the Old and New Testaments. James spent much time and effort in worthily fulfilling the duties of his important callings. He was required to make many difficult and significant decisions. James’ wife Elizabeth was closely associated with many of the prominent members of the Church and was also involved with many important events of the Church. While the Allred family was living in Nauvoo the Prophet Joseph Smith came to Elizabeth, who was a seamstress by trade, and told her that he had seen the angel Moroni, a resurrected prophet whose story is told in a book translated from ancient gold plates by Joseph Smith called the Book of Mormon. The angel was wearing a special type of garment worn to do sacred ordinance work in the temple. He directed Elizabeth in making a copy of this garment. In June 1844, Joseph Smith, his brother Hyrum, John Taylor and Willard Richards were taken to the Carthage Jail in Hancock County, Illinois, while charged falsely with numerous crimes.33 At the jail Joseph Smith gave his sword to James Allred and said, “Take this -- you may need it to defend yourself.” James treasured the sword and carried it with him to Utah.”34 Later in that same month Joseph and Hyrum Smith were murdered in the Carthage Jail Joseph Smith had prophesied that Willard Richards would not be harmed, and, true to prophecy, he escaped without a scratch. John Taylor was wounded with four bullets.35 His condition was very serious, and wanting to make the long journey back to Nauvoo as comfortable as possible, James who was to care for Taylor put a sleigh behind his wagon. By going through the fields which were mostly swamps the journey covered eighteen miles to the town of Nauvoo. John Taylor did recover and eventually became the President of the Church. After the Prophet’s death, the Saints tried to collect more money for the building of the Nauvoo Temple. James Allred was put in charge of this money. James must have been a very trustworthy individual to have had this responsibility. Western Exodus 09 Feb 1846, James Allred led his family across the Mississippi River to begin the long journey west. They spent that next winter at Council Point where he was appointed Acting Bishop and President of the High Council. He stayed there until 1851 when they migrated to Utah. They eventually settled what is now known as Spring City, Utah in Sanpete County, Utah. At first it was known as “The Allred Settlement”, then because of migrations of the Danish and others the name was changed to Spring City. Over the next several years he moved back and forth between Manti and settlements at Canal UT and Ephraim UT. Here he served the church as Patriarch. He was 12 days short of his 92nd birthday when he died in 1876. Elder Orson Hyde Spoke at his funeral. Family & Marriage On November 14, 1803, James Allred was married to Elizabeth Warren, who had been born in Spartanburg County, South Carolina on May 6, 1786. During their early married life they made homes in North Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Missouri. # William Hackley Allred (1804-1890) # Martin Carrel Allred (1806-1840) - served in Zions Camp March, he had a son Rueben Warren Allred (1827-1916) who served in the Mormon Battalion. After 1840, his 8 orphaned children were raised by James and Elizabeth. # Hannah Caroline Allred (1808-1850) - md Andrew Hiram Whitlock (1805-1865) who marched with Zions Camp. # Sarah Allred (1811-1834) - died after marriage and one childbirth at the Allred Settlement in Salt River MO. # Isaac Allred (1813-1859) - served in Zions Camp March, missionary to Great Britain, murdered in 1859. # Rueben Warren Allred (1815-1896) - # Wiley Payne Allred (1818-1912) - pioneer doctor in Spring City, UT and then Emery, UT. # Nancy Chummy Allred (1820-1842) # Eliza Maria Allred (1822-1842) # James Tillmon Sanford Allred (1825-1905) - Veteran of the Mormon Battalion # John Franklin Lafayette Allred (1827-1850) # Andrew Jackson Allred (1831-1899) References * James Allred - Allred Family History * Influential Mormon Pioneers * James Allred Immigrant Ancestors Category:Veteran of Zions Camp